Matthew 15:21-28, 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Whenever we get around to this story, we often focus on the Gentile woman’s faith. It is, after all, a story of faith. But I invite you to look at the story from a slightly different angle; this time, from the angle of what could have actually happened to Jesus. I’d like for us to consider the possibility that after his encounter with the Gentile woman, Jesus changed his mind. (By the way, do you believe that Jesus could change his mind when he was here on earth? Because if we believe Jesus’s true humanity, that he is like us in all things except sin, I don’t think he’ll mind if we suppose that there might’ve been times he changed his mind about people, about situations, or in this case, about his mission.) Anyway, this interesting conversation with the Canaanite woman, I’d like to argue, was one such time when Jesus changed his mind.

When Jesus said that he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel, he wasn’t being dismissive or uppity. He must have really thought that his mission was to bring back to the Father his lost kababayans. It might have never even occurred to Jesus that his healing powers would work on Gentiles. They didn’t believe in the God Jesus believed in. How could a miracle work in their lack or absence of faith? But out of desperation for her daughter, the mother didn’t give it a rest. Not even when Jesus referred to her and her people as dogs. You’ve heard from many homilies, Israelites referred to Gentiles as kuon, Greek for wild, scavenging, dirty dogs; a slur on non-Jews as dangerous, unspiritual, and unclean. But the Gospels report that Jesus didn’t use kuon on the woman.

He said kunaria, little dogs, puppies, pets, softening the slur. Anyway and whatever, the desperate mother swallowed the reference, and even said that even kunaria ate the scraps that fell from the master’s table. “Tuta na kung tuta, kunaria, ser,” she could’ve said. “Pahingi pa rin, ser, ng kahit tira-tirang milagro n’yo, ser.” And when she said that, in my contemplation, Jesus didn’t know what hit him.

When I was a new priest 500 years ago, two very kind ladies walked up to me after a Mass in Davao. “Bless po, Father,” one lady said. Then, she turned around, got her friend standing behind her, and said to me: “Father, my friend wants to be blessed po. She’s Muslim po.” So, I said: “It is not right to take the food of the children and give it to the dogs.” Just kidding. You know, sisters and brothers, I remember like it was yesterday: how the woman closed her eyes in what I could only read as eagerness and yearning. I had never blessed a non-Christian before. I was so fearfully moved, I wanted to ugly cry and give her a hug. All my theology taking abackseat…a very far backseat.

So, I couldn’t imagine Jesus not being moved by a mother’s desperation, that he wouldn’t soften his “no” into a “yes”. As far as my contemplation is concerned, sisters and brothers, Jesus changed his mind that day. That day, the Father taught his son something new: that his mission was to find and heal not just Israel’s lost sheep, but any lost sheep, any hurt sheep, any desperate
sheep who needed saving. The Father broke his son open anew, afresh.

It’s difficult working with people who keep changing their minds, ‘yung tinatawag na utak-atsara? Fickle-minded? But it’s even more difficult dealing with people who never want to change their minds even when the situation already calls for it – because they think it’s a sign of weakness and defeat. But to change our minds when it’s necessary is a sign of interior freedom, strength, and therefore, true power. Not weakness and defeat. It’s actually the unyielding who are unfree because they’re enslaved by fear, and weak, because it entails enormous strength to be flexible.

When being uncompromising becomes burdensome to our community, when the non-negotiables we set in stone become the heavy stone people have to bear, when our family is scared of us (which we mistake for respect), when coworkers just tolerate us (which we mistake for peace), when employees stew in low morale and grievance (which we brush off as the price of discipline), maybe it’s time to change our mind if indeed we are the kind boss, the loving parent, the good Christian leader we believe ourselves to be.

We’re steeped in Thomas Aquinas’ image of God. He said that God is the unmoved mover; immutable (does not change) and impassable (does not suffer). That’s why we often say,“We pray to God not really to change his mind from a “no” to a “yes”, but for the grace of strength and humility to surrender to God’s will.” I’m sorry, St Thomas. But many times, I’ve prayed “Lord, I know that you make all things come to a good end because your will is to save us. But can you at least please hurry up? Please hurry to heal those who ask me for prayers if you really want them to recover. Please hurry to lift my friend’s depression if you really want to unburden her. Please hurry to make us apologize if you really want to restore lost friends and family. Please don’t wait any longer to stop the rains and drain flood waters if you really want people’s already difficult lives less difficult. And please hurry up, Lord, in teaching flood-control budget thieves a lesson they will never forget.” I have prayed like that myself, sisters and brothers, for God to change, if not his decision, then at the very least, his pace in letting his saving will be done. Kahit konting bilis lang siguro. At kahit tira-tirang milagro lang galing sa heavenly banquet.

Through the Canaanite woman, the Father must have made Jesus realize it was possible to still eat at the Master’s table, but also to stretch that table so no one would have to wait to eat the scraps. It was possible to still pasture Israel as the Good Shepherd but also to open that pasture for all sheep…and all kunaria…to graze. To change his mind was not a sign of Jesus’ weakness and
defeat but of true freedom and true power driven by true love.

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